A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
From: A Disorganized Collection of Articles, Sketches, Birth and Death Notices from Research in Hillsdale County, Michigan. Perry Hopkins is prominently identified with the industrial interests of Hillsdale County, as a farmer, stock-raiser and cooper, being very prosperously engaged in these pursuits on section 11 of Woodbridge Township. He was born in New York State, Nov. 29, 1831, and is the son of the late David and Olive (Larrabee) Hopkins, natives respectively of Connecticut and New York, the father born in 1800 and the mother in 1804. In 1836 they came to Michigan and located in Rome, Lenawee County, where Mr. Hopkins industriously pursued his occupation of farmer until his death in 1866. He had received his education in the common schools, and was an intelligent man, much respected by all for his virtuous, upright life, and was a stanch adherent of the Quaker society. His wife was a Close Communion Baptist, and an earnest Christian; she survived him some years, dying in 1872. They had seven children, namely: Perry (our subject), Trueman, Lodema, Susanna, Polly, Martha and Lucinda. Mr. Hopkins also had four children by a former marriage - David, Russell, Amanda and Nancy.
He of whom we write, coming to Michigan when a small boy in the very early days of the settlement of the southern part of this State, was reared in the pioneer home of his parents in the township of Rome, Lenawee County. He endured with them all the privations and hardships of such a life, where, though they had plenty to eat, as wild game was abundant, many things now considered absolutely indispensable to comfort were sadly lacking. However, they were unneeded to develop in the young lad vigor of mind and body, and a manly self-reliance, which enabled him at the age of eighteen years to start out into the world, poor indeed in purse, but rich in spirit and energy. He learned the cooper's trade and for ten years followed it very successfully, thus acquiring considerable property, which enabled him to establish himself as a farmer, and in February, 1861, he purchased eighty acres of forest covered land, which now forms a part of his present farm. In the month of March he commenced to fell the trees on his land to make room and material to build a log house, into which he and his family moved in the month of may, before it was provided with either door or window. Since that time he has steadily made his way to an assured success, until now he owns one of the finest farms in this county, and has increased its area to 160 acres of rich and highly fertile land, on which he has made many valuable improvements. He has paid much attention to the breeding of high grades of horses and cattle, and is quite famous for his fine Hambletonians and Short-horns. He has erected a fine, commodious brick house, at a cost of $3,000, with a slate roof and handsomely furnished inside; it has two cellars, and its dimensions are: the main part 16x24, two stories in height; two wings, 16x16 and 18x21, and a kitchen 10x21. He built in 1884 a substantial barn at a cost of $1,500., 44x68 feet in dimensions, with 20-foot posts, 33,000 shingles covering the roof, and a basement eighty feet high under the center, in which are built thirty cords of stone.
Mr. Hopkins was married to Miss Betsy A. Barnum, July 2, 1853, and she has since been to him a most faithful and helpful wife, to whom much of his prosperity is due. She was born Oct. 18, 1830, in New York State, and was a daughter of Zar and Margaret (German) Barnum, also natives of York State. They came to Michigan in 1840, and are now both deceased. Her father was a farmer and also a cabinet-maker. He was an active and esteemed member of the Baptist Church. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins has been productive of four children, of whom the following is the record: Adolphus died at the age of twenty; Madora, who died Aug. 4, 1880, was the wife of Dr. Stearns, of Frontier, having been one of the first teachers in that town, and was very highly educated; Elfred was born in Franklin Township, Lenawee County; Orson was born Sept. 10, 1864, and is married to Luella Pointer. Elfred married, Oct. 2, 1884, Melissa Culbertson, who was born in Ohio, in 1859, and came to Michigan in 1882; they have one child, Alice M., born Dec. 29, 1887
Our subject and his wife occupy a good social position in this community, and are greatly respected by the people for their genuine worth and integrity, and their hospitable home is ever open to numerous friends. In his political views Mr. Hopkins is an advocate of the Greenback party, while his sons are Democrats.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
©1998, 2022. The format of this website and all original statements and narrative included on it are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Factual information may be freely quoted for use in private genealogical research when accompanied by a full source citation, including the date of acquisition. Click here to view the format of a citation for an Internet resource. The publication of large extracts from this site in any form requires prior written consent.
Page built by Gedpage Version 2.21 ©2009 on 07 February 2025